Expert advocates frequent host of exhibitions, summits to boost tourism

Exhibitions
By Collins Yakubu-Hammer
Abuja, April 27, 2018 (NAN) Chief Abiodun Odusanwo, National President of Institute for Tourism Practitioners (ITP), says frequent hosting of international, national and local tourism exhibitions and summits will assist in developing the sector.
Odusanwo told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja that tourism is about mobility; activities like summits and exhibitions which promote mobility of persons would boost tourism and creative sector.
“These are deliberate platforms created to promote dialogue between those who are involved in tourism and those outside tourism, those who are supplying to tourism industry and those benefiting from it.
“ Without frequent summits or exhibitions, there will not be such opportunities for operators to actually meet at that point in time; therefore, the impacts of tourism summits have positive results.
“For example, if you look at a typical summit whereby those coming from different sectors travel by air, road and other forms of transportation modes, it stimulates economic activities in the transportation sector.
“Summits also stimulate economic activities in the tourism sector; people coming for tourism and other summits would have to stay in hotels, from the top to lowest hotel and the host city itself,’’ he said.
The ITP president also maintained that during summits, policy issues are discussed, which allowed the coming together of experts, specialists and people from different sectors, as well as international participants and delegates.
Odusanwo maintained that through deliberations with other practitioners in summits, suggestions and solutions are proffered to address challenges facing the sector.
“Therefore, summits are very important; some of these summits have their own theme and sub-themes; all these themes are informative.
“Also, summits allow people to meet those they have not had the opportunity of meeting before because the typical summit, for example, attracts people from the government and operators at different levels.
“ Summarily, what drives tourism are ehibitions, meetings and summits; they are, therefore, important in boosting tourism,’’ he said.
Odusanwo said that Nigeria had abundant tourism sites that could attract local and international tourists if developed and promoted.
The ITP president recalled that the resuscitation of the Presidential Council on Tourism (PCT) was made possible by recommendations during the 2016 National Tourism Summit in Abuja.
He said the PCT, which had the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo as the Chairman, had been making positive impact on the sector such as the right won by the country to host the African Ministers of Tourism in June.
Odusanwo said he was glad that FTAN, the umbrella association for private sector in tourism is represented in the PCT. (NAN)
CMY/VIV/ROT
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Edited by Vivian Ihechu, Rotimi Ijikanmi